This is the US edition of book #3 in the Inspector Anders Knutas series set on the small and fascinating Swedish island province of Gøtland; the US publisher inexplicably changed the title for the US from the original more-fitting title (see the library’s UK edition entitled “Unknown”); the book is interesting and well constructed, well enough that it keeps one’s attention and is therefore a fast read and a rather well constructed story; but I sure wish that the translator would stop changing kilometres into miles and temperatures into Fahrenheit for the benefit of inward-looking Americans; the other downside to this book is that the ongoing reporter character keeps meddling deeply in situations in which he clearly should be working with the police; it all seems too contrived and I found myself hoping that this particular character will get killed along the way in future books of the series because he has certainly earned it

This is the UK edition (it uses the original title) of book #3 in the Inspector Anders Knutas series set on the small and fascinating Swedish island province of Gøtland; it’s interesting and well constructed, well enough that it keeps one’s attention and is therefore a fast read and a rather well constructed story; but I sure wish that the translator would stop changing kilometres into miles and temperatures into Fahrenheit for the benefit of inward-looking Americans; the other downside to this book is that the ongoing reporter character keeps meddling deeply in situations in which he clearly should be working with the police; it all seems too contrived and I found myself hoping that this particular character will get killed along the way in future books of the series because he has certainly earned it

This author is an easy read and has a nice sense of place, giving vivid and interesting descriptions of Gotland.

However, the plot was very, very simple, there was never any doubt that the blatantly obvious suspect was the murderer. And by the end of the book, my feeling was "who cares" either about the victims or the murderer.

The novel plot depends on the police and all the experts being totally incompetent and completely unaware of their own history.

This author was recommended to me. I may read one more to see if just this story was a dud, but it will be low down on my "must read" list.